Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Thanks to Cheliji's assistance and Ma Chao's bravery, the rebellion in Jincheng County was quickly crushed, a process far smoother and more swifter than in other parts of Western Liang. Ma Chao's implementation of a series of pacification measures quickly restored Jincheng County to life, and the local people expressed their gratitude and endless praise for Ma Chao.

However, the situation in other regions was less optimistic. Rebel leaders meticulously plotted and stubbornly resisted within their respective territories. Dong Zhuo's generals in Xiliang encountered numerous obstacles in their efforts to suppress the rebellion, and progress was slow. Furthermore, they engaged in widespread burning, looting, and plundering in every area they conquered, and military discipline was severely compromised. For a time, the people of Xiliang suffered utterly, their complaints overflowing with pain. They were filled with indignation at Dong Zhuo's brutality, yet powerless to confront it, and could only endure it in silence.

On their way to Longxi County, Ma Chao and Dong Bai witnessed too many evil deeds committed by Dong Zhuo's generals. Their hearts were filled with shock, grief, indignation and helplessness.

Ma Chao rode on his horse, his heart tangled with complex emotions. He was indeed very grateful to Dong Zhuo, after all, Dong Zhuo was his family's great benefactor. However, witnessing the various evil deeds of Dong Zhuo's generals, his anger surged like a tidal wave.

His brows were furrowed, his fists clenched and unclenched from time to time, and he thought to himself: "Mr. Dong, oh Mr. Dong, why do you allow these generals to act so recklessly! Their actions make me heartbroken!" But he also understood that Dong Zhuo had done him a favor, which made him fall into deep contradiction.

Dong Bai walked slowly beside Ma Chao, her face slightly pale. Her heart was full of contradictions and struggles. These people were all generals under her grandfather Dong Zhuo, and they represented her family's power.

Witnessing their evil deeds firsthand, Dong Bai was filled with shock and anger. She bit her lip, thinking, "These people... How could they do this? They're my grandfather's men, yet they're so cruel and brutal!" Her eyes were filled with disappointment in Dong Zhuo's men and hatred for their actions.

Dong Bai lowered her head slightly, trying to calm herself. She knew she couldn't let these evil deeds bring her down. But these images were deeply seared into her mind, leaving her feeling immensely painful and lost. She didn't know how to face this reality, and the conflict in her heart tormented her.

Ma Chao's face was solemn. He turned his head to look at Dong Bai and said in a low voice, "Miss Dong, you have seen this. Their behavior is truly outrageous."

Dong Bai nodded slightly, his eyes filled with grief and indignation. "Yes, Brother Ma Chao, they are all my grandfather's generals, yet they are so cruel. How can this not make people feel chilled?"

Ma Chao took a deep breath and said firmly, "When we return, we must make sure Lord Dong keeps his men in check. We can't allow this kind of evil to continue. If these soldiers aren't disciplined, they'll be more terrifying than bandits!"

Dong Bai bit his lip, a trace of determination flashed in his eyes: "Well, we must make our adoptive father understand that we can't let them do whatever they want!"

The two looked at each other, and their determination to change all this became even stronger.

Ma Chao and Dong Bai were full of worries along the way. They no longer had the previous relaxation and interest in playing. They just hurried to Longxi County.

Finally arriving home, Dong Zhuo was greeted with a beaming smile. He gazed at the two standing side by side, a secret joy welling up in his heart. The young couple before him, the man dashing and dashing, the woman charming and lovely, stood together like a picture scroll, a perfect match no matter how you looked at them. A flicker of relief and anticipation flashed in Dong Zhuo's eyes, as if he had foreseen a bright future.

However, at this moment, Ma Chao and Dong Bai had no time to care about Dong Zhuo's thoughts. Their minds were still lingering on the evil deeds they had seen on the road, and they were thinking about how to express their concerns and thoughts to Dong Zhuo.

Dong Zhuo laughed heartily and teased Dong Bai, saying, "Girl, are you having fun along the way?" Then, with a serious expression, he turned to Ma Chao and said, "Mengqi, have you always followed Dong Bai's advice on this bandit-suppression mission? Don't just follow her every word and disregard military law because she's my granddaughter! Haha!"

Dong Zhuo's laughter echoed in the air, but Dong Bai and Ma Chao were not affected by his jokes at all, and there was no smile on their faces. They looked at each other, and they could read deep worry and firm determination in each other's eyes.

Ma Chao stepped forward, bowed deeply, and said, "Lord Dong, the battle in Jincheng County went smoothly. However, on my way back, I noticed that your generals were lax in their discipline. Their actions are truly outrageous! Now, they are causing panic throughout Xiliang."

Ma Chao's voice was filled with anxiety and worry. He raised his head and looked directly at Dong Zhuo, "Lord Dong, if this continues, Xiliang will be plunged into chaos!"

Dong Bai also took a step forward and stood beside Ma Chao. He gently tugged at Dong Zhuo's sleeve and said, "Grandpa, you have to control them. You can't let them act so recklessly."

The smile on Dong Zhuo's face gradually faded, his brow furrowed, and he fell into deep thought. After a while, he slowly said, "I have learned about this matter, and I will strictly discipline you. You have all worked hard on the journey, so go down and rest first."

Dong Bai and Ma Chao exchanged a glance, each seeing a hint of relief in the other's eyes. They knew that although this was only the beginning, they had to continue working hard for the stability of Xiliang.

Dong Zhuo privately called Dong Bai to his side. With a kind smile on his face and eyes full of love, he gently took Dong Bai's hand and said, "My dear granddaughter, come and tell me in detail about your experiences along the way. What interesting things have you encountered?"

Dong Bai lowered her head slightly, her cheeks flushed, as beautiful as the clouds in the sky. She softly told Dong Zhuo everything she had seen and heard along the way.

Dong Zhuo listened attentively, nodding slightly from time to time, and frowning slightly from time to time, as if he was thinking about something. When Dong Bai talked about the things he had experienced with Ma Chao, Dong Zhuo's eyes became particularly bright.

He suddenly grasped Dong Bai's hand, exerting a little force, causing Dong Bai to look up at him. He said earnestly, "Girl, Grandpa can see that you seem to have different feelings for Ma Chao. Grandpa is asking you, are you interested in Ma Chao? If you are, Grandpa will ask someone to take care of your relationship. What do you think?"

Dong Bai was instantly mortified after hearing Dong Zhuo's words. Her face flushed even redder, like a ripe apple. She lowered her head shyly and said in a barely audible voice, "Grandpa... please don't say that..." Her fingers nervously twisted the corners of her clothes, her heart pounding like a little rabbit, a mixture of shyness and anticipation.

Dong Zhuo couldn't help but burst out laughing when he saw Dong Bai's expression. He patted Dong Bai's head lovingly and said, "Haha, my dear granddaughter, you're so adorable when you're shy. Grandpa is really thinking about you, so don't be embarrassed!"

Dong Zhuo privately called Li Ru to his side, and the two discussed in a secret room.

Dong Zhuo frowned and said to Li Ru with a worried look on his face, "Wenyou, today we are having a chat about family matters. You know that my branch of the Dong clan and its influence in the court all depends on me. My son died young, and I have no grandson. Now I only have one granddaughter, Dong Bai. My nephews are really useless, and I really don't think much of them."

Dong Zhuo sighed and continued, "Now that Dong Bai is in love with Ma Chao, I'm really conflicted. I'm wondering what I should do with my inheritance in the future. Should I leave it all to Dong Bai, or to my nephews? If I leave it all to my nephews, who should I choose as the heir? If I leave it all to Dong Bai, can I now entrust everything to Ma Chao without reservation? But if I leave it all to my nephews, I can't treat Ma Chao too well, otherwise it will cause conflict between him and my nephews. I really can't make up my mind. Tell me, what are your thoughts?"

Li Ru pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "My lord, in my opinion, this matter requires careful consideration. If we leave the entire inheritance to Dong Bai, Ma Chao is indeed a reliable person, but we must also be wary of him becoming too powerful and difficult to control in the future. If we give it to our nephews, given their abilities, I'm afraid they won't be able to maintain it. As for which nephew to choose as the heir, the decision is even more difficult."

Li Ru paused, then continued, "However, my father-in-law, there is no need to worry too much. This matter still needs to be considered carefully. Weigh the pros and cons slowly, and it is not too late to make a decision."

Li Ru thought for a moment and said, "Father-in-law, what you said is indeed quite reasonable. Those cousins ​​are indeed incompetent. If we leave the inheritance to them, I'm afraid they won't be able to subdue the arrogant and powerful generals of Xiliang. In my opinion, it would be better to hand the inheritance to Dong Bai first. When she and Ma Chao have children, we can choose a son to inherit the Dong family inheritance. Let the child bear the surname Dong and inherit the Dong family inheritance. This way, we can ensure the inheritance of the inheritance and avoid unnecessary trouble. What do you think?"

Dong Zhuo listened to Li Ru's words and fell into deep thought. After a while, he nodded and said, "Well, what you said makes sense. Let's do as you say. Perhaps I have been thinking too much recently, so it's too early to say anything now."

Dong Zhuo raised his head, looked at Li Ru, and said, "Wenyou, find an appropriate opportunity to express this to Ma Teng and see how he reacts."

Li Ru bowed and said, "Don't worry, my lord. I understand."